Container cover

ABSTRACT

A cover for a container is disclosed having an open top with a flanged or beaded portion. It includes a container covering panel having an encircling skirt portion depending from the periphery thereof, and a tab projecting outwardly from said shirt. A score line is marked on the skirt portion such that when it is desired to open the container, the user has only to grasp the container with one hand and pull the tab away from the container along the score line with the other hand without changing the grasping position of the former hand. The circumferential length of the score line may be from about 185* to 240* of the encircling expanse of the skirt.

Yoshioka et al.

[ May 28, 1974 CONTAINER COVER Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yoshioka; Sumio Nishiyama, both of Sagamihara, Japan Daiwa Can Company, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan Filed: Jan. 17, 1972 Appl. N0.: 218,428

[73] Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1965 McKnight 215/46 A Primary ExaminerGeorge T. Hall [5 7 ABSTRACT A cover for a container is disclosed having an open top with a flanged or beaded portion. it includes a container covering panel having an encircling skirt portion depending from the periphery thereof, and a tab projecting outwardly from said shirt. A score line is marked on the skirt portion such that when it is desired to open the container, the user has only to grasp the container with one hand and pull the tab away from the container along the score line with the other hand without changing the grasping position of the former hand. The circumferential length of the score line may be from about 185 to 240 of the encircling expanse of the skirt.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures 1 CONTAINER COVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In conventional forms of container covers, particularlythose used on metal containers wherein the cover includes a panel and a depending skirt which'is hermetically sealed to the body of the container,it is known to provide ready removal means for the cover in the form of a circumferential score line extending fully around the periphery of the skirt and including as an integral component therewith a pull tab by means of which initiation of removal of the cover is effected. A disadvantage of such form of container cover is that after about-two-thirds of the peripheral skirt has been removed along the score line formed therein, the cover tends to come off together with the pull tab and the residue of the skirt. Accordingly, it is necessary for the user to push the center panel portion of the cover or otherwise apply a holding action to the cover to keep it from moving with respect to the container thereby to preclude injury to the fingers of the user from ragged or sharp edged portions of the removed cover. Further, in such known form of container cover when removing the same, the container must berotated to a certain degree in the hand of the user to provide convenient-access for removal of the final portion of the skirt along the score line, since with a fully encircling score in the skirt necessitating removal of the full encircling portion of the skirt it becomes awkward after about two-thirds of the latter has been removed to maintain pulling force with the pull tab to remove the remainder without rotatably manipulating the container. Further, there is the possibility that the additional manipulation of the container can cause unbalancing of the same to the degreethat some of the contents thereof may be lost through spillage. Further, the thus described known type of container cover is not particularly suited for reuse in covering position on the container since the removal of substantially all of the skirt thereof tends to lessen the suitability of the cover for retention on the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novel cover for a container which will overcome the above defects encountered in the prior art.

According to the present invention, there is provided for a containerhaving a wide open top with a flangedv or based portion in the periphery thereof, a container cover having a central panel portion and a skirt portion extending around the periphery thereof, the skirt portion having a tab projecting outwardly therefrom and adapted to be curled and fixed for engagement to the flanged or bead portion of the top of said container, the cover being characterized in that a partial score line is marked on the skirt portion, such score line starting from a point at which the inward curved line of the tab and the circumferential edge of the skirt portion meet, then traveling inwardly for a short distance and thence proceeding in a direction parallel to said circumferential edge of the skirt for a distance which extends between about and about 240 as expressed by the angle around the center of the panel portion of the cover, and turning outwardly to a point in the circumferential edge of the shirt. 1

It is also possible to mark another score line in the discontinuous extension of said score line. The latter score line is not provided for the purpose of aiding in the opening of the'containerbut rather to reduce wear on the machines which mark the score lines on the covers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will appear more clearly from the description to be given hereinafter and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flat plate before shaping it into a cover according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a cover of the invention shaped from the flat plate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view partly in section of the cover shown in FIG. 2 which has been hermetically attached and sealed to a container.

: FIG. 4 is a plan view of a flat plate before shaping it into a second cover embodiment provided by the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a flat plateof the conven- 'tional type before shaping it'into a container cover.

Throughout the description like reference numerals are used to denote like parts in the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A conventional type cover A used for a container or cup and which has a side peripheral wall or skirt portion S as shown in FIG. 5 is usually made of aluminum and surrounds the central panel portion P which is designed to cover the open top of the container, the skirt S being integral with panel P. After the cover is shaped and attached to the container, the skirt portion S depends from the periphery d of the panel so as to cover the flanged or bead portion of the open top of the container, and is curled and fastened thereto whereby the container is hermetically sealed. To skirt portion S of the cover is attached a tab 5 preferably integrally made from the material A of the cover .and projects outwardly from the circumferential edge 15 of the skirt.

'The tab 5 has an inward curved edge line 5a which meets the edge 15 of the skirt at a point 6. The line 50 is then merged into a score line 3 curved, marked or otherwise provided in the skirt portion. The line 5a starts from the point 6 and travels inwardly for a short distance to a point 7, from which it runs along a substantially circular line and comes back thereto, keeping substantially constant distance from the edge 15. Thus, the skirt portion is divided into two portions by the line 3.

When it is desired that the cover be taken from the container to which it has been firmly attached, the user may grasp the tab 5 suspended from the edge 15 and pull it apart from the container. The skirt is thereby cut apart along score line 3 starting from the point 6 and ending at the goal point 7, and thus along the entire circumference of the cover. The cover is thus free for re I lease from engagement with the top of the container.

In the thus described conventional type of cover, the opening and removal thereof from the container is done by grasping the tab, pulling it outwardly so as to cut the circumferential score line 3 and thereby release the cover. In this case, therefore, when the break or cut of the score line proceeds about'two-thirds of the whole length thereof, that is, when the break or cut of the score line is not completed yet, the cover tends to come off together with the torn flap from the open top of the container. Accordingly, it is necessary to hold the center panel portion so as to keep it from moving with respect to the container, otherwise the user may be injured by the cut or ragged severed portions of the cover. moreover, even if the container is opened while the central panel portion is secured in such a manner as above, the container and/or the tab must be regrasped so as to rotate the container with respect to the operators hands. If not, the opening of the container may not proceed farther, or unreasonable stress may be imparted to the users hands. It will not only take more time and labor but may also give rise to the leakage of the container contents from the cut portion of the cover. I I V In accordance with the present invention it is not necessary to cut or break the entire length of the score line along the whole circumference of the skirt portion, and suffices to provide or mark a shorter length of score line, that is, about one-half to about-two-thirds of the whole length of the skirt depending upon the diameter of the open top of the container. In this novel structure of the invention,.it is not necessary for the user to regrasp the container or tab nor to be compelled to distort his hands in the courseof pulling the tab off from the skirt portion. Further, there is no danger that the cover can abruptly come off together with the broken flap of the skirt portion. It has also been found that when the operator again seals the container with the cover of the present invention after the opening of the cover is finished, itdoes not easily come off from the container since there remains an unbroken skirt portion which is capable of neatly engaging with the peripheral edge of the open top of the container..

Such score line along which the cover is opened may have a length slightly more than about one-half of the entire circumference of the skirt portion. Thus, it can be smoothly cut apart along itself without re-grasping the container or the tab. However, if the diameter of the open top of the container is so small that it can be fully grasped by one hand, the score line'can be extended to about two-thirds of the entire circumference of the skirt portion. Thus, the length of the score line can vary from that slightly over one-half to about twothirds of the entire circumference depending upon the diameter of the open top of the container.

Alternatively, the range of the length of the score line can be expressed by the center angle of the flat plate material. Thus, if the score line is between about 185 and about 240, it will be suitable for the practical purpose though it is not always necessary to consider the 240 or thereabouts as the upper limit.

The above score line is fundamentally intended for opening the cover ofthe container. It is of course possihlc, however, to mark another score line which is discontinuous to, but in the extension of, the former score line. It is advantageous to provide such two score lines, since it will prevent the uneven wear of the machines which mark the score lines in the covers.

A preferable embodiment of the invention will now be described with respect to the drawing.

In FIG. 1, A is a circular blank of material including a circular panel P with an encircling integralskirt S thereon and having a tab 5 projecting therefrom, on which a partial score line 3 is marked. The score line 3 starts from a point 6, at which theinward curved edge line 5a of the tab 5 meets the circumferential edge 15 of the skirt portion S. The line travels inwardly radially for a short distance and then proceeds in a direction concentric with, said circumferential edge 15 to a point slightly before the angle 0 around the center 0 of panel P becomes 225 and finally turns outwardly to a point 7 in the circumferential edge of the skirt portion; It is not essential to set the angle at the 225, but it is desirable if the diameter of the open top of the container is 60 mm or so. The skirt portion is intended to be curled and fixed to the head portion 8 of the open top of the container B (FIG. 3). The numeral 4 indicates a part of the skirt which will become a torn flap. It is desirable that the line 3 runs along a center line of the width of the skirt portion S as depicted clearly in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows a condition in which the blank Aof FIG. 1 has been'shaped into the cover 1 with the skirt bent substantially at a right angle to the plane of panel P.

FIG. 3 shows the construction when the cover 1 is fixed to the open top of the container of cup B. The internal surface of the skirt'portion S can have packing or a sealant 2 applied thereto, and the circumferential edge 15 of the skirt portion can be curled around and under the bead portion 8 to hermetically seal thesame.

ing cover 1, the user may grasp the container B with,

for example, the left hand while pulling up the tab 5 with the right hand so as to cut the skirt portion along the score line 3. In this case, since the length of the score line has been predetermined such tha the cutting of the skirt portion can be done without re-grasping the container or without changing the relative position of the container to the users hand, the cutting can be completed very smoothly with a single pulling stroke in the minimum time and labor. Thereafter, the skirt portion from which the torn flap 4 has been removed is pushed or pulled up, and 'the cover is thus detached from the container. The peripheral edge of the skirt portion S which remains uncut'from the cover I has a configuration suitable for engagement with the bead portion of the container. Accordingly, the cover once detached from the container may suitably be used for covering the container again.

As shown in FIG. 4, another partial score line 11 may be marked as an interrupted extension of the partial score line,3. Said score line 11 has both ends 9 and 10 which are discontinuous from the ends of the score line 3. It is thus obvious that the score line 1 1 has nothing to do with the cutting or opening operation of the cover. In this case, however, substantially all the circumference of the skirt portion is tilled with the score lines, which will obviate possible deflected wear of the machine for making the same.

These score lines are usually marked upon the outer side surface of the skirt portion. Theycan be, however, marked on the reverse or inner side surface thereof whereby the object of the invention can also be accomplished. It is advantageous to mark the score line or lines on the reverse or inner side of the skirt portion when the surface of the cover bears printed matter.

The invention has been described in detail with respcet to preferred embodiments thereof, but it should not be limited thereto. Suitable changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a container having an open top and a bead portion in the periphery thereof encircling said open top, a cover having a central panel portion and a skirt portion depending from the periphery of said panel portion and closely engaging the bead portion of said container top,

said skirt portion having a tab projecting outwardly therefrom, said tab having an inner edge adjacent said skirt,

said skirt portion having a partial score line marked thereon, said score line starting from a point at which the inner edge of the tab and the circumferential edge of the skirt portion meet, then traveling inwardly for a short distance and thence proceeding in a direction concentric with said circumferential edge of the skirt for a distance which extends between about and about 240 as expressed by the angle around the center of the panel portion and then turning outwardly to a point in said eircumferential edge of the skirt,

said skirt portion having a further partial score line marked thereon, said further score line lying in the extension of the course of said above-mentioned score line but being discontinuous therewith. 

1. In a container having an open top and a bead portion in the periphery thereof encircling said open top, a cover having a central panel portion and a skirt portion depending from the periphery of said panel portion and closely engaging the bead portion of said container top, said skirt portion having a tab projecting outwardly therefrom, said tab having an inner edge adjacent said skirt, said skirt portion having a partial score line marked thereon, said score line starting from a point at which the inner edge of the tab and the circumferential edge of the skirt portion meet, then traveling inwardly for a short distance and thence proceeding in a direction concentric with said circumferential edge of the skirt for a distance which extends between about 185* and about 240* as expressed by the angle around the center of the panel portion and then turning outwardly to a point in said circumferential edge of the skirt, said skirt portion having a further partial score line marked thereon, said further score line lying in the extension of the course of said above-mentioned score line but being discontinuous therewith. 